A B1MBA SHI. 291 Kakoubah ; when he had finished his toilette he showed us the huts which are always kept for strangers, and soon after brought the allowance of water-melons and lugmah. We were never asked for a farthing in return for this entertainment, and if we made some small acknowledgment, the villagers seemed much pleased. The only difficulty we had was that, after our departure, the people would come after us saying something had been stolen.

This was annoying, though the charge invariably proved to be false ; yet it hindered us, as we had to return to prove that the articles which were alleged to have been stolen had only been mislaid. On the fourth day from Omchanga we came to a full stop—the camels could go no farther. Mr.

Wilson rode off in search of fresh ones, and found a certain Woad Ali Effendi Bimbashi, who promised that he would try to secure some for us. After we had gone to bed his cavass, a Circassian, came to see us, and said he had been ordered by his master to get the camels, and asked if we had any slaves to sell, for he was in great want of some. He said he had bought a girl and a woman the week before for $43. The bimbashi had been dismissed from the government service at Obeid, and, as the officials there had no money with which to pay his salary, he was sent to levy a small tax on his own account. The sum due to him was between $200 and $300, and the cavass told us that he feared he would not u 2